Soap works

There's a potentially-deadly virus on the loose. The good news is that it's not hard to fight it off. Ordinary soap and water, which you already have, do the job.

Covid-19 is a protein molecule covered with a fat layer. Soap has the ability to cut through that fat.

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The virus will then "fall apart "like a house of cards" and become inactive (but not die as they aren't technically alive). Water alone isn't enough . . . because it "'only' competes with the strong 'glue-like' interactions between the skin and virus via hydrogen bonds. The virus is quite sticky and may not budge."

Do you need stronger stuff? Surprisingly not, according to this chemistry professor:

"Disinfectants, or liquids, wipes, gels and creams containing alcohol (and soap) have a similar effect but are not really quite as good as normal soap. Apart from the alcohol and soap, the 'antibacterial agents' in these products don't affect the virus structure much at all."

Northern Tool has surface sanitizing facts: the virus can stay active on "contaminated objects (24 hours on cardboard, and up to 2-3 days on surfaces like plastic and steel)"